With an altitude of 2618 m the Gavia Pass is one of
the highest passes in the Alps. It is connecting the Camonica Valley
and the ski resort around the Tonale Pass with the Valfurva Valley and
its well-known towns like Bormio and Santa Caterina. In the meantime
the southern part of the pass road has got an asphalted surface but it
is still very narrow in some parts. A stop at the village of Ponte di
Legno just below the pass can always be recommended for its picturesque
center. From the north the Gavia Pass can be reached relatively easy
passing the ski resort of Santa Catarina di Valfurva including some
nice views of Punta di San Matteo and Pizzo Tresero. On top of the pass
two peaks are dominating the scenery: the pyramid of Corno dei Tre
Signori to the east and Monte Gavia in western direction. Map: Ortles -
Cevedale 1:25.000

The Berni Hut a few kilometers north of the
pass is an ideal starting point for hikes in this area as for example
Pizzo Tresero, the shady peak right besides Ortler. Another summit worth
to be climbed is Corno dei Tre Signori. The standard route via the Tre
Signori Gap runs up the basin of the Tre Signori Glacier which cannot
be seen from this point of view as it is hidden by the west ridge
leading down right of the summit.

The slopes leading up to the Tre Signori Gap
(Bochetta dei Tre Signori) were covered with debris. The peak behind
Gavia Pass and Lago Bianco is Monte Gavia (3223 m), another nice
panorama summit. A rock step just below
the gap required some caution but it was well belayed by wire cables.

The final part of the ascent seen from the 'Bocchetta dei Tre Signori' Gap. It leads up the couloir to the lowest
point of the east ridge (just above the left part of the snow field).
The couloir itself affords some easy climbing and is also belayed by
wire cables. Parts of the following east ridge are quite narrow but
traces lead up to the summit which unfortunately was covered with
clouds and therefore the summit panorama was cancelled.

The weather report for the next day was very
promising and so we set off for Pizzo Tresero (left). After crossing
the brook below the Berni Hut the path follows the road in northern
direction into the Dosegu Valley. In the background again: Monte Gavia
(3223 m).

We continued on a good path and passed the
tongue of the Dosegu Glacier at about 2800 m. Some old photos in the
Berni Hut showed enormous ice-falls below Punta San Matteo (3678 m -
left) and Monte Mantello (3517 m) but like in most alpine areas the
glaciers are retreating rapidly.

At about 3100 m we had a nice view of Corno
Dei Tre Signori (3360 m). The name of the lake below is open to
speculation as it wasn' t mentioned on any of our maps. The summit of
Pizzo Tresero and its south-west ridge on which we just followed the
traces until to the summit.

The summit panorama of Pizzo Tresero is
excellent. In the background we can see Corno dei Tre Signori and the
Sforzellina Glacier which is also visible from the Berni Hut. In
north-western direction Lago di Cancano above the town of Bormio and
the Silvretta Range can be spotted. The village down in the valley is
Santa Caterina di Valfurva.

View down the South-West Ridge to the Gavia Pass
Road. The bivouac mentioned above is situated at the point, where the
ridge bends right. The descent route is following the ridge until to
its lowest point and then turns left down the snow fields. The ice-covered North Face of Pizzo Tresero
is normally climbed from the Branca Hut (2487 m) which is situated on
the moraine of the Forno Glacier below. In the background: Pallon della
Mare.

Another tour we introduced as Rundtour über Cevedale und
Monte Vioz is partly visible from the summit of Tresero. Starting at
the Casati Hut we first climbed Monte Cevedale (3769 m - left).
Descending in southern direction we then traversed Monte Rosole (3529
m) and passed the bivouac shelter (Bivacco Colombo) where a few easy
rocks had to be climbed. After that large snow fields lead up to the
summit plateau of Palon della Mare (3703 m - center) and finally -
after a short and steep descent - to Monte Vioz (3645 m).

View from Pizzo Tresero to Punta Taviela (3612 m). The ice-hump in
the center is part of the ascent route to Punta San Matteo (not visible
here - see final image) if you start at the Branca Hut. We followed the ridge to Punta San Matteo (partly hidden by the
summit of Punta Pedranzini) which is quite worthwhile to be climbed
additionally as the following pictures show.

Pizzo Tresero (3594 m) seen from the summit of Punta Pedranzini (3599
m). Barbed wire, a remainder of World War I is decorating the summit of
Punta Pedranzini. The right picture shows Punta San
Matteo which can also be climbed from the Gavia Pass across the snow
fields below the summit rocks and finally up the clearly visible snow
ridge.